There was a college football game Sunday night, but the vibe in Las Vegas, Nevada, was that of a marquee boxing bout being hosted right there on the strip.
No. 23 USC and No. 13 LSU faced off in what felt like a warm-up to the College Football Playoff, the two heavyweights trading body blows for 60 minutes.
At one point fans were scratching their eyes thinking LSU great Odell Beckham Jr. had re-appeared in a red and gold jersey when Kyron Hudson made a one-handed snag in the first half.
Ultimately, the Trojans had their Rocky Balboa moment, scoring a game-winning touchdown with eight seconds remaining to knock off a top-15 opponent for the second straight game going back to last year’s Holiday Bowl.
Here are three big takeaways from the top-25 matchup:
1. USC’s defense is a lot better and that’s good news for its offense
Per the Associated Press, the Trojans finished 116th out of 130 FBS teams in total defense last year, despite a prolific offense that featured quarterback Caleb Williams. Sunday was a different story, however. USC’s defense held LSU to just 20 points on 421 total yards Sunday, relieving some pressure from its offense on key drives. If that play stays consistent in a tough Big Ten schedule, USC could cause some waves in its conference debut.
2. LSU wasn’t that bad, but the road ahead is tough
Over 400 total yards on offense isn’t bad at all but LSU’s faults came in two places: on third downs and on defense. The Tigers were 5-for-13 on third down Sunday, losing out on precious possessions and points at critical junctures. And giving up a rushing touchdown on a two-minute drill was a back-breaker. A targeting call assisted the Trojans in getting within striking distance but if LSU’s defense had done its job, the game would have likely seen overtime.
Brian Kelly is now 0-3 in season-openers since joining LSU, and the season isn’t a bust by a long shot… yet. The Tigers’ schedule gets tougher from here on out, with four more ranked opponents coming late in the season. They’ll still have a shot, but it’ll require near perfection going forward.
3. USC is set up to make a run at the playoff
After Sunday’s brilliant display, USC may have convinced poll voters that it should swap places with LSU in the top 15. Consistency will be key going into conference play. The good news, it’ll avoid No. 3 Oregon and No. 2 Ohio State in the regular season. The bad news, No. 9 Michigan (Sept. 21), No. 8 Penn State (Oct. 12) and No. 7 Notre Dame (Nov. 30) are likely required wins to qualify for the 12-team playoff.
